Courtesy of Jane West!! Last Call: Support IDEA Funding! From: The Honorable Jared Huffman Sent By: [email protected] Date: 4/1/2014 LAST DAY TO SIGN ON! Letter Closes COB Today 4/1/14 Current Co-Signers (105): Jared Huffman, Chris Van Hollen, David B. McKinley, Chris Gibson, Tim Walz, Dave Reichert, Donald M. Payne, Jr., Debbie Wasserman Schultz, David Cicilline, Frederica S. Wilson, Tim Bishop, John Lewis, Dina Titus, Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, Filemon Vela, James P. McGovern, Suzanne Bonamici, Elizabeth Esty, Alan Lowenthal, Julia Brownley, Theodore E. Deutch, Ron Barber, Loretta Sanchez, Jerry McNerney, Sander Levin, Jim Costa, John Carney, Michael E. Capuano, Jared Polis, Tony Cárdenas, Raúl M. Grijalva, Sean Patrick Maloney, Carol Shea-Porter, Juan Vargas, Gary C. Peters, Katherine Clark, Jerrold Nadler, Corrine Brown, Rick Larsen, Stephen F. Lynch, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Henry A. Waxman, Maxine Waters, James P. Moran, Rubén Hinojosa, Bruce Braley, Kurt Schrader, Ann McLane Kuster, Jackie Speier, Joaquin Castro, Michelle Lujan Grisham, David Scott, Suzan DelBene, Richard Hanna, Ann Kirkpatrick, Gerald E. Connolly, Alan Grayson, Michael Grimm, Cheri Bustos, Jim McDermott, Earl Blumenauer, Robert C. Bobby Scott, Rush Holt, Joseph P. Kennedy, Bill Foster, Allyson Y. Schwartz, Chellie Pingree, Zoe Lofgren, Judy Chu, Susan Davis, Dave Loebsack, Michael H. Michaud, Eliot L. Engel, David Price, Al Green, Adam Smith, Bobby Rush, Chaka Fattah, Peter Welch, G. K. Butterfield, Nick J. Rahall, II, Don Young, Marcia L. Fudge, Joe Courtney, Yvette D. Clarke, Alcee L. Hastings, Charles B. Rangel, Janice Schakowsky, Bill Pascrell, Jr., Steve Cohen, C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, Wm. Lacy Clay, John Conyers, Jr., John Garamendi, John P. Sarbanes, Ben Ray Luján, André Carson, Paul Tonko, William Keating, Tammy Duckworth, Frank Pallone, Jr., Grace Meng, Ed Perlmutter, John K. Delaney, Mike Thompson Dear Colleague, We are writing to invite you to sign a letter to the Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee supporting significant funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in Fiscal Year 2015 appropriations. When Congress passed IDEA in 1975, the federal government committed to paying 40 percent of the average per pupil expenditure (APPE) for each student receiving special education services. However, we have always fallen short of this commitment, with funding for IDEA Part B never reaching above 18.5 percent. Fiscal year 2014 is at just 15.3 percent. Currently, there are over 6.5 million children eligible for special education services under the disability categories of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The comprehensive assessment and support services authorized by IDEA help to close the academic achievement gap and ensure a meaningful education for every student. We owe it to all students to provide a quality education that will help them become independent and productive citizens. Please join us in asking the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education to support significant funding for IDEA in FY15 to put us on the path to full federal funding within ten years. We hope you will join us in supporting this critical effort by signing onto the attached letter. If you would like to sign on, or if you have any questions, please contact Nick Hromalik in Rep. Huffman’s office at [email protected] or call (202) 225-5161, Sarah Schenning in Rep. Van Hollen’s office at [email protected], Carina Marquez in Rep. Walz’s office at [email protected] or Audrey Smith in Rep. McKinley’s office at [email protected] or call (202) 225-4172. Sincerely, Jared Huffman Chris Van Hollen David B. McKinley Member of Congress Member of Congress Member of Congress Chris Gibson Tim Walz Dave Reichert Member of Congress Member of Congress Member of Congress Dear Chairman Kingston and Ranking Member DeLauro: As you begin work on the fiscal year 2015 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill, we urge you to support funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to put us on the path to full federal funding within ten years. In 1975, the original version of IDEA was enacted to ensure that all students with disabilities receive a free and appropriate public education. IDEA provides individual-specific programs, resources, and services for students with a wide range of disabilities, including hearing impairment, autism, language impairment, and learning disabilities. Currently, there are over 6.5 million children eligible for special education services under the disability categories of the IDEA. The comprehensive assessment and support services authorized by IDEA help to close the academic achievement gap and ensure a meaningful education for every student. When IDEA passed, the federal government made a pledge to states and school districts to pay 40 percent of the Average Per Pupil Expenditure in IDEA Part B grants to states. In 2004, the reauthorization of IDEA reiterated this pledge, creating a “glide path” to reach the 40 percent commitment by 2011. However, we have always fallen short of this commitment, with funding for IDEA Part B never reaching above 18.5 percent. Current funding for fiscal year 2014 is at just 15.3 percent. This shortfall exacerbates the long-running challenges facing states and local school districts, which are faced with limited resources and growing student populations. Significant funding in fiscal year 2015 for IDEA would help relieve budget pressures and provide much needed support for our teachers and school administrators who are working tirelessly to better the lives of all students in our communities through equal access to quality education. We urge you to honor our commitment to students with disabilities and support funding in fiscal year 2015 for IDEA to put us on the path to full federal funding within ten years. Thank you for your consideration of our request. Sincerely,
Posted on: Tue, 01 Apr 2014 15:08:38 +0000
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015